Can anything rouse Germany from its economic slumber?
Politicians are more interested in trivial budget rows than finding sources of growth
PITY THE the leading lights of Germany’s government. Last month they struck an eleventh-hour deal for next year’s budget, narrowly averting the collapse of their three-party coalition. Now it is all unravelling. Experts convened by Christian Lindner, the finance minister and leader of the fiscally hawkish Free Democrats, concluded that accounting tricks in the draft budget designed to circumvent Germany’s deficit-limiting “debt brake” risk falling foul of the constitutional court.
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This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Flatlining”
Europe August 10th 2024
- Russia’s bloody summer offensive is hurting Ukraine
- How much of a difference will Ukraine’s new F-16s make?
- Ukraine surprises with a high-stakes raid into Russia
- Can anything rouse Germany from its economic slumber?
- Turkey’s president refuses to let sleeping dogs lie
- The siesta is still a serious business in Europe’s south
From the August 10th 2024 edition
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A harrowing rape trial in France has revived debate about consent
Anything less than yes is no
How the wolf went from folktale villain to culture-war scapegoat
The startling return of wolves in Europe raises hackles
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Conflicts over asylum, farms and the constitution could bring it down
Ukraine’s Roma have suffered worse than most in the war
Half of them may have fled
Pedro Sánchez clings to office at a cost to Spain’s democracy
His opponents accuse him of subverting the constitution
Why the hard-right Herbert Kickl is unlikely to be Austria’s next chancellor
In spite of his strong win